E-cigarettes: Where they're at with the Rest of the world

E-cigarettes:  It’s High Time to Know Where they’re At with the Rest of the World

E-cigarettes, electronic vaporizers, MODs, RODs, vape pen, quit smoking devices… Many names covering the popular culture. Its been referred to as ‘the healthier alternative’ of smoking, yet opinions vary. It’s natural to think that wherever smoking is permitted, so should vaping. But its not quite like that.

Where is the vape word coming from?

Vaporizing is a method that lets flavors escape without combustion, basically. Vape was the most popular word of the year 2015, and its been growing since.

Vaping in general and the increasing number of vape bars in the country and elsewhere is proof that e-cigarettes seem to be smoking out its tobacco competition. And from ‘fanatic’ to elegant, there are some POD system vapes that became really popular, replacing the heavy-duty #coilporn machines, because these are a more portable and a LOT more discrete, yet it produces enough satisfying vapor. The Hippie BEE is a top rated one and the cause behind it is amazing as well.

Vape pen and vape pen.. what is the difference?

You can call vape pen that is a dry herb vaporizer that is made for weed and you can call a vape pen that is made for juice and it does or does not have nicotine. 

Maybe the connection between these two are that some vaporizers can vape not only eLiquid, but CBD and THC oil as well.

What is the difference between eJuice and cannabis oil?

Cannabis oil is thicker therefore not all vapes can vaporize it. Some that can are ones that has pre-heating, or change temperature, like the Hippie Air, the Hippie NANO or the OM.

So, this also might be one of the factors that vaping is not obviously legal everywhere.

Same way as you use a vape for a non-nicotine liquid, just for the fun of smoke, you could use a vape pen for weed. And NOBODY could tell the difference, except the user.

So lets get to the legal stuff…

While not counted as illegal in the US, e-cigarettes are often included in smoking bans in public places. Currently, they are regulated by state laws as far as the age of consent in buying them is concerned but should be ok once you follow certain rules.  States such as Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin will not sell e-cigarettes to minors, with other states planning to follow the same guidelines.  In the meantime, FDA does not allow e-cigarettes to be marketed as safer than tobacco cigarettes unless those company manufacturers were able to secure a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) status.  Several e-cig producers have submitted their applications and just waiting for their approval.

Meanwhile, there is a high number of progressive countries which have no problems with vaping: Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Botswana, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Swaziland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Zambia, and Zimbabwe with most of them observing the legal age and proper place. Sale and usage are regulated based on different factors but you can still vape in the following countries: Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey.  In Denmark, you should be a bit careful in advertising e-cigarettes which will require authorization from their approving agency.  Vaping is unregulated in Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Ireland, Philippines, Russia, and Ukraine.  As such, anyone there can practically have access to e-cigarettes.  However, there is no information available for the following countries: Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Slovenia. 

The legal aspect of vaping is still in the bubble if not unclear in countries such as Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, India, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, Peru,Tanzania, and Tunisia.  You will need to clarify with their authorities to be on the safe side.  Strangely with Mexico, e-cigarettes are considered as tobacco products even if in reality, they don’t have an ounce of tobacco in them. Vaping however, is considered either banned or illegal in the following: Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahrain, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

You wouldn’t want to risk bringing your pipe in Brunei, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, where vaping laws are hard and fast. You can even face jail time of up to 10 years specifically in Thailand.  On the other hand, Hong Kong and Japan have forbidden the use of nicotine-based e-cigarettes in particular.